Recording - September 2016 - 24

Softube Console 1

The EQ is among the best-sounding of
any I've used, and really benefits from
the integration of the hardware surface.
With multi-shaped top and bottom frequencies, and fully parametric middle frequencies, I was able to tweak almost
every sound into submission. At higher Q
settings, the EQ was almost synth-like,
but didn't have the brittle edges that can
sometimes occur with high-Q filtering.
When people talk about "sweet" EQs on
analog consoles, this is the sound they
are talking about; it is really great to
have them available in a modern digital
system.
On the other hand, the compressor is
pretty simple, providing all of the basics
without any real bling. There is an automatic makeup gain circuit built into the
system, but there isn't much else in the
way of hidden functionality-you need
to know what you want and how to
accomplish it. But if you can handle that,
you will find the compressor to be a
good-sounding, capable tool for track
level management and sound shaping.

Given the focus of Console 1, your workflow may need to undergo a bit of a transformation. I found that I started to think differently about individual tracks, working
much more on in-depth processing and
treatment than I would normally consider.
However, since the interface doesn't provide DAW integration, I saved balancing/
panning operations until later. This is different than the way I normally work, and the
result was that my mixes sounded different.

Alternative Channel Strips And Processors
One thing that might concern you with a highly-integrated
system like the Console 1 is its ability to work with alternative
processors for specific projects or tracks. Luckily, Softube has
you covered-as long as you are a fan of Softube processors!

RECORDING SEPTEMBER 2016

But that's not to say they sounded worse;
in fact, to my ear, I'm consistently preferring
the mixes that I do with Console 1 over
other mixes. Some of it is that I tend to dial
in much better EQ results using my ears
and/or the software's huge display than I
do with typical DAW EQs. I also find that
the compressor has a sweetness to it that
matches my ear, and the quick access to all
the controls lets me dial things in far more
smoothly than normal. I've mixed a halfdozen projects since the Console 1 entered
my studio, and I'm really enjoying the
results.
In the mastering process
I recently found myself in a mastering/
restoration project, and assumed that I'd

Each of the three main processors (Shape, EQ or Compressor)
can be replaced by any Softube processor, allowing you to use
different plug-ins like a Trident A-Range EQ (one of my favorites
for rock guitars) or Valley People Dyna-Mite Compressor Gate (a
fave for drum machine madness) under direct control of the
Console 1 hardware and routing system. This gives you a lot of
flexibility in tailoring your processing stack to your source material.
But things get even wilder when you consider that you can
completely swap out the channel strip for another one! Softube
now sells two alternative channel strips: the ultra-clean SSL XL
9000K emulation ($329) and something they call British Class A
($249). The latter tries to emulate the deep sound of transformerladen consoles used for classic rock mixes, and sounds wildly
different from the stock SSL console.
I got to work with both, and was very
impressed. In use, the 9000K was the
perfect channel to use for clean work
(Ambient, New Age, Classical or Film
Score tracks), while the British Class A
excelled on Big Beat drum tracks and
wall-of-sound guitars... and implemented
something I really wanted-an AutoRelease for the Compressor!
Softube has moved away from a slavish
emulation of actual consoles; Console 1 lets you mix and match
presets, processors, and even console strips within a project, giving you the option of the clean 9000K strip for string tracks while
pumping the drummer and bass player through the British strip.
While I had grown used to the working with the 9000E
plug-in strip for most of my mixing needs (and it always helps
to get a deep feel for a processor that you'll be using for a
mix), having this flexibility meant I never felt hemmed in by a
closed processing setup. If you are going to buy into the
Console 1 ecosystem, you'll be glad to know these options
exist.-DDG

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recording - September 2016